Dress former



Oct. 23, 1934. 1.. w. ANDERSON DRES S FORMER Filed NOV. 14, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l I nvento'r tomey I Ill O 23, 934 L. w. ANDERSON DRES S FORMER Filed Nov. 14, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor ,5. 1i? izdar 'a Patented Oct. 23, 1934 harass; FORMER Lawrence W. Anders n Doagepity Kans' Application November 14, 1933, Serial No. 697,996

2 Claims. (01. 223-19) This invention relates to a device that may be termed a dress former having as its object the provision of a device for supporting and stretch- C ing a dress for the purpose of restoring the prop- 5" er shape to the dress where the latter as a result of dry cleaning has shrunk.

In accordance with the present invention the former is so constructed and equipped as to be adjusted for stretching the dress lengthwise, across the hips, and also across the bust to restore the dress to its proper shape. 1

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of the device.

Figures 2, 3, l, and 6 are detail sectional views taken substantially on the lines 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5 and 66 respectively of Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 7-'7 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals it will be seen that the device comprises a main frame consisting of spaced parallel side pieces 10 that are secured in relatively spaced relation, intermediate their ends by upper and lower relatively short guards or blocks 11.

Slidable in reverse direction through slots provided in the bars 10 are rods 12 that have their inner free ends overlapping and operating between the blocks 11. To the outer ends of the bars 12 are pivoted as at 13 the former bars 14 which below the pivots 13 are substantially straight, and above the pivots are provided with oppositely curved portions 15, 16, the curvature of the portions 16 corresponding substantially to the curvature at the bust, while the curvature of the parts 16 correspond substantially to the parts of the body adjacent the armpits.

Slidably mounted in the frame between the bars 10, and above the blocks 11 is a slide 17 to which are pivoted rods or links 18 operating in elongated slots 19 provided in the bars 10. These links 18 are also pivoted to the bars 14 at the curved portions 16 of said bars. A like slide or block 20 is mounted in the frame below the blocks 11 and link or rod 21 pivotally connects the block 20 with the former bars 14 intermediate the straight end portion of said bars 14.

r A garment hanger bar 22 is provided on the upper end of the frame and is secured to the upper ends of the bars 10 in any suitable manner. Inp termediate its ends the hanger bar 23 is provided with an opening for slidably and rotatably accommodating an adjusting rod 23 that has a threaded end 24 screw threadedly engaged with the slide 1'7 for operating the latter. Adjacent its upper end the rod 23 is provided with a vertical series of spaced openings and with a selected one 9 of the openings there is engageable a pin 25 adapted to rest on the curved part of the bar 22 to hold the adjusting rod 23 at the desired adjustment and against inward movement relative to the frame.

A like adjusting rod 26 is provided for the bottom of thedevice and operates through an aperture provided in an end block 27 at the lower end of the frame between the frame members 10. This adjusting rod 26 has a screw threaded end engaged with the slide 20 for adjusting the latter.

In actual practice the adjusting bars 23 are operated to draw the former bars 14 inwardly towards the frame. A dress or other garment is then slipped over the device to be suspended from the clothes bar 22. The bar 23 is then operated for drawing the follower 17 upwardly to spread the curved portions the desired distance apart after which the rod 26 is operated to shift the slide 20 for also spreading the lower end of the bars 14 the desired amount for the purpose of stretching the dress to its proper size, To adjust the length of the dress, when the same is placed on the form all that is necessary is to exert a downward pull on the dress on the bottom or hem thereof, and the upper portion of the bars 14 corresponding to the curvature or cut of the dress will serve to maintain the dress in a stretched condition against materially creeping up on the device.

A device of this character will be found especially useful for stretching dresses that have shrunk in cleaning, and in this connection, it will be seen that by placing the dress over the form, and then adjusting the form for stretching the dress the dress will retain its stretched size if the form with the dress thereon is suitably supported over a steam table or press machine vacuum and left there for a reasonable amount of time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In a dress former, a narrow elongated frame, a garment hanger bar provided on the upper end of said frame, a pair of oppositely slidable transverse bars, guides for said transverse bars, said guides for said transversebars provided on the main frame intermediate the ends thereof, slides mounted in the frame above and below said guides, former bars pivoted on the outer ends of said transverse bars, links for pivotally connecting the upper ends of said former bars with one of said slides, additional links pivotally connecting the former bars adjacent their lower ends with the other of said slides, and individual means for adjusting the slides, each of said last named means including an adjustment bar mounted on an end of the frame and having a threaded end threadedly engaged with its slide, bearing means for rotatably and slidably supporting said adjustment bar, and said adjustment bar being provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings, and a pin adapted to engage a selected one of said openings and said bearing means for holding the adjustment bar at the desired longitudinal adjustment relative to the frame.

2. In a dress former, an elongated frame, a pair of oppositely slidable transverse bars, guide means for said bars mounted in the intermediate portion of said frame, slides mounted in the frame above and below said guide means, former bars pivoted on the outer ends of said transverse bars, links for pivotally connecting the upper ends of said former bars with one of said slides, additional links pivotally connecting the former bars adjacent their lower ends with the other of said slides, an adjustment bar mounted on each end of the frame and having a threaded end threadedly engaged with the adjacent slide, bearing means for rotatably and slidably mounting each adjustment bar and means for holding said adjustment bar in different adjusted positions.

LAWRENCE W. ANDERSON. 

